The German websites for Acer and Asus have been temporarily taken offline by the manufacturers, preventing consumers from finding updates or drivers.
Laptop manufacturers Acer and Asus have suddenly taken their German websites offline. Anyone attempting to visit the websites is met with a maintenance notice, as discovered by Computerbase. The manufacturers are currently fighting a patent dispute with Nokia.
The disappearance of the websites has potential consequences for owners of an Asus or Acer laptop in Germany. The manufacturer’s website is the primary source for finding firmware and driver updates, as well as general support and assistance. German consumers are currently being denied access to these resources.
Patent dispute with Nokia
Acer and Asus are not closing their doors to the German market for no reason. Nokia has sued the Taiwanese laptop manufacturers for alleged patent infringement. The subject of the dispute is the use of HEVC, short for High-Efficiency Video Coding: a standard for video compression. Nokia owns the patent rights and accuses Acer and Asus of using the code without a proper license.
The German court ruled in favor of Nokia earlier this month, resulting in Acer and Asus no longer being able to sell their products in Germany without negotiating an agreement. The case is reminiscent of a previous dispute between Nokia and smartphone manufacturers Oppo and OnePlus. In early 2024, the hatchet was buried.
Detour via China
Acer and Asus are currently choosing to close their doors completely to the German market, including for those who have already purchased a laptop from the brand. Notably, the manufacturers also do not allow their German clientele access to foreign-language websites. For example, anyone trying to visit the American websites from a German domain is redirected without ceremony.
Computerbase found a workaround via the manufacturer’s Chinese website to install BIOS updates. A Chinese domain is apparently not redirected. Updates can also be retrieved via the Asus Driverhub, but the tool does not offer updates for laptops.
Asus has publicly stated that “all after-sales services in Germany remain fully operational and existing customers continue to receive uninterrupted support in full compliance with the current court order,” adding that it is “evaluating and pursuing further legal steps to reach a fair resolution as soon as possible.”